Stress or Competitive Spirit?
by Phoenixofdarkness62
Summary: Akira stumbles upon a packet that throws all of S.A. into thinking about Hikari in more depth. Oneshot, and based on the facts. Slight out of charactorness.


_Anything in italics is being quoted/read from the packet.

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_

'Akira what's wrong?' was the message written on Megumi's sketchbook page. She had been reporting to lunch when she had come across Akira who was shaking badly and holding a well-worn packet in her right hand. Akira's eyes once-overed the packet again before turning to face Megumi. She glanced at the sketchbook then the packet at Megumi's concerned face and then at the packet once more.

Akira's mouth opened to say something but she only randomly stuttered before flinging herself upon Megumi.

'Hikari's OVER STREESED!!' she yelped squeezing the life out of Megumi and crying into her shoulder.

?!?!?!?

'Umm… Okay then…"

"Yeah…"

'Alright then…"

"This packet's a load of crap." Tokiwa said hurling the packet at the wall. He and the rest of the members of S.A. had read over the packet once after seeing how much it had scared Akira. Kei furrowed his brow at Tokiwa but then addressed Akira.

'Normally, I wouldn't agree with a word this guy…' he pointed with his thumb to Tokiwa, 'Says but for once and probably the only time I agree with him. That's just plain stupid Akira.'

Then nimbly as always he avoided an object of some sort flying at his head.

'But it all fits, Kei!" Akira exclaimed picking up the disgaurded packet.

'_Stressors: something that causes stress._

_Eustress: stress that produces positive effects._

_Distress: stress that produces negative effects._

_Catastrophe: an event that threatens loves and destroys property_.' Akira recited to them, before putting the packet down.

'She has stressors that included us, grades, school, competitions, and…' she turned to Kei and Tokiwa with an angry expression and accusing finger pointed, "You two buffoons."

She ignored the angry glares and continued, "She has both Eustress the incentive to beat Kei and get good grades, and Distress the negatives over studying and not-so-friendly competitions. The only thing she hasn't had is a catastrophe." Akira continued.

'What about when Kei was going to move to London?' asked Jun. Akira turned slack-jawed at him. Ryu, to cover fro Jun then took the packet and read.

'_Section 2_

_How Stress affects your body_

_Stages of stress_

_Alarm stage: The body's homeostasis is disturbed._

_Homeostasis: A steady state of balance; a normal balanced state of the body's internal system._

_Adrenaline: a hormone that is released in response to fear or stress; it causes increased heartbeat, blood pressure, and breathing rate._

_Fight or Flight: A series of physical changes that prepare the body to react to stress_." He stated setting the packet down once again.

'So she's in the alarm stage?' Akira mumbled. Ryu nodded assured.

'Wouldn't it mean that she always in the alarm stage though?" asked Tadashi from Akira's side.

"Well… no…" Ryu answered.

"That's what you implying." Kei smirked, "Considering that she always is challenging me."

"So she's going to have asthma and high blood pressure?" Akira asked seeming to recall something in the packet.

'_Resistance Stage: During this stage the body tries to recover from the alarm stage. However, it is unable to return to Homeostasis. Now the body is functioning at a higher then normal level. Because the body is using an extreme amount of energy and as a result may become tired and irritable, and unable to deal with additional stressors_." Kei recited from behind closed eyes.

"What?!?! This just keeps getting worse and worse as it goes on!" Akira exclaimed.

"What does?" asked no other then Sakura, with Yahiro not to far behind. Jun handed her the stress packet.

Shortly after….

"Hikari IS at the Resistance level!" Sakura exclaimed.

"See Kei? SEE???" Akira shouted clutching Sakura.

"_Exhaustion Stage: the body can no longer keep up with the demands placed on it. This being because the stress the body is suffering from has taken place for a prolonged period of time. Physical and Emotional resources are depleted. The body tends to enter this stage of stress from when one is suffering from extreme stress such as death of a family member_." Yahiro read aloud. Which wasn't the smartest thing to do since both Sakura and Akira were both near tears and Kei was glaring with Tokiwa joining him. Megumi and Jun both were attached to Ryu as if Stress was something they could catch from someone else.

Slowly though the thought of this actually applying to Hikari became more and more reasonable as pieces came together with facts. It could after all be possible since anything especially when it came to Hikari was possible.

"What else is there?" Tokiwa asked slowly. Kei sighed, knowing that since he had memorized it and everyone else was too frozen to speak, he would have to say it.

"_Signs of Stress_

_~Stress can trigger certain illnesses, reduce the body's ability to fight an illness, and make some diseases harder to control._

_~Stomachaches_

_~Asthma_

_~Headache_

_~Lowered Resistance to disease_

_-Immune system is breaking down which causes a person to have a harder time fighting infection and illness_

_~Heart Disease_

_Prolonged Stress causes high blood pressure. There are not any signs of HBI; so many times it goes undetected. When it goes undetected it can lead to heart disease and stroke_." Kei finished.

Of course then strolled in our heroine Hikari. Her normal smile was plastered to her face and a certain spring to her step was noticed.

"Hi everyone!" she greeted with an exuberant wave. She noted Sakura's and Yahiro's appearance and put her head in her hand thinking.

"Is there a party of holiday I forgot about?" she asked clueless to as why they were here.

"No… We just decided to visit is all." Said Sakura in an oddly neutral voice.

"Have you experienced any stomachaches, asthma, or headaches over a prolonged period of time?" asked Kei being blunt and straight to the point as ever; much to the relief of everyone except Akira whom Tadashi was consoling. Hikari thought about it and a sly grin crossed her face.

"Nice try Takashima, but I already know that those are all signs of stress. I did after all get an A+ on my health test." She retorted.

"105% percent." Kei commented. Her face dropped.

"GRR! I'll get you next time!" she hollered at the top of her lungs.

"But in all seriousness, can you answer my question?" he said before she could launch into how she was going to beat him. She stopped thoughtful.

"Umm, no? I mean occasionally I get a stomachache or headache, but not over long periods of time, and I have no history of asthma." Hikari answered.

"What about colds?"

"None for the longest time."

"Heart disease?"

"Nope, when they took my blood at my last physical they said I was healthier then most." She grinned. Kei turned to Akira who had overheard the last part.

"She's fine." He said. Akira looked from Kei to Hikari and then to each face of the people in the room,

They all knew. It was reconfirmed in their heads. Hikari was fine. Of course she would have stress from time to time, it was only natural. Her competitive spirit though, would always fuel her through the thick and the thin. She was fine, perfectly fine. She always seemed to be.

Akira then hugged Hikari suddenly followed by Kei, and the rest and eventually developing into a great big group hug. Which Hikari accepted willingly but confused all about it until she spotted the packet on the table.

"Hey! There are my notes from Health!"

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Author's Note: First I hope everyone who reads this thought it fairly interesting and will give it a review. Sorry if Akira seems Out of charactor a bit, but I had to use her since the rest of the characters woulnd't act like that. But I'd like to point out that all the pharses in _italics_ are indeed in fact, REAL and ACCURATE facts about stress. I was inspired to write this in health class so I thought I'd let you all know. Isn't it great? You get to learn and read S.A. fanfiction.


End file.
